Automatic stick rack filler



June 5, 1951 R. H. BLOXHAM AUTOMATIC STICK RACK FILLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1948 240% m axon AM June 5, 1951 BLQXHAM 2,555,567

- AUTOMATIC STICK RACK FILLER Filed May 13, 1948 4 Sheis-Sheet 5 June 5, 1951 v i I R. H. BLOXHAM 2,555,567

AUTOMATIC STICK RACK FILLER Filed May 13, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 24 6. 540mm Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES rarest orrlce Application May 13, 1948, Serial No. 26,876

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus useful in connection with the making of water-ice confections, ice cream bars on a stick, and the like. More specifically, it relates to a machine for automatically feeding sticks in a manner to facilitate filling of a conventional stick rack which holds the sticks in evenly spaced, aligned relationship in a reticulated patternso that when the rack is subsequently placed adjacent molds containing a confection in liquid or semi-solid form the sticks will become immersed thereinand as a consequence of subsequent freezing of the mold contents, will become bonded to the molded confection units.

Commonly, sticks are manually fed one by one into conventional stick racks useful in the making of water ice confections, ice cream bars, etc. However, this is a time consuming, laborious and expensive undertaking, particularly in view of the large numbers of ice cream bars or the like that must be produced per day to meet the public ,demand.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages of manual feed, which machine includes means for automatically feeding sticks from a hopper into an intermittent feed mechanism and ultimately into a stick rack in relatively large numbers and in a very short period of time, namely, less than thirty seconds, thereby equalling or exceeding the feeding rate possible by manual feed.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an automatic machine for ejecting sticks one by one from a feed hopper into a rotary funnel from which they are dropped into a series of tubes having the same number of holes, as a conventional stick rack for arranging the sticks in spaced relationship in a rectangular or reticulated pattern simulating the pattern of a conventional stick rack, and thence fed into a stick rack with their edges in alignment, so that the stick rack, when placed in contiguous relationship with molds containing a liquid or semi-solid confection so as to immerse the ends of the sticks in the individual molds, will provide a means for accurately centering and positioning the sticks just before freezing of the confection.

A still further objectof this invention is to provide an automatic stick feedin machine which includes control'means for selectively filling either a single or double conventional stick rack with a predetermined number (usually 24) or twice the number (usually 48) of sticks, as desired, together with means for automatically restarting the feeding cycle after either a single or double stick rack has been supplied with sticks.

Gther objects and advantages will becomeapparent after a study of the specification taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an auto,- matic stick rack filling machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective View of the stick ejector shown in Figure 1, positioned adjacent the bottom of the feed hopper, for singly ejectin sticks from the hopper into a rotary funnel;

Figure 3 is anenlarged, fragmentary perspective viewof the linkage shown in Figure .1, which, together with pawl and ratchet devices, translates the rotary movement of the drive shaft to reciprocating movements for intermittently driving the rotary funnel and switch timer;

Figure 4 isan enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the pawl and ratchet timer mechanism of Figure l and associated micro switches used to control the shifting movements of the pneumatically operated carriage for feeding either 24 or 48 sticks in the carriage, as well as to cause pneumatic operation of the clutch to stop the feedin mechanism after the carriage is filled with the required number of sticks;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the carriage assembly and associated mechanism shown in Figure 1 for holding the sticks in a reticulated pattern so that they may be subsequently inserted in a conventional stick rack;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of an air cylinder and toggle-like connecting means between the cylinder and plate frame for effecting lateral shifting movement of the perforated carriage plate to enable filling with double the normal number of sticks; and

Figure 8 is a somewhat enlarged side view, partly in cross section, of the structure shown in Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to Figure l of the drawings, numeral l designates a hopper supported on a framework F for feeding a plurality of flat sticks unloaded in large quantities therein such .as from shipping cartons containing these sticks. The sticks are fed in a manner so as to become stacked in the lower portion of the hopper to enable their ejection singly from the lower outlet therecf, as shown more clearly in'Figure 2. The lowermost stick 2, for example, is pushed or fed horizontally outwardly of the hopper by to 70, although other ratio may be found equally suitable, is used.

As the sticks are ejected singly from hopper I, they fall into a rotary funnel i i rotatably mounted in a funnel bearing [2. A brake lib is provided for holding the funnel stationary when desired. The funnel H is intermittently rotated by means of a pawl l3 (see Figure 5) secured to the sliding bar M. The reciprocating movement is effected by means of a cam secured to the drive shaft and against which is yieldingly pressed by a spring H, a cam follower It. The cam follower slides in a bearing 18 and has an end connected to follower rod it connected to link 20 which, in turn, is connected to one end of rod 2i whose other end is connected to slotted arm 22. Sliding bar 14 extends through slots in a U- shaped framework 23 (see Figure 3), and is reciprocated by means of a pin and slot connection between arm 22 and bar it.

Each time the stick ejector 3 drops a stick into the rotary funnel H, the funnel advances one twenty-fourth of a revolution (since a standard stick rack has 24 holes), which places the funnel openin Ha directly over a certain tube, such as 24, that leads to a corresponding hole in a stick carriage 25. The tube assembly 26 comprises twenty-four tubes whose upper ends are fastened to an upper tube plate 21 and disposed along a circle, and whose lower ends are anchored to a lower tube plate 23 and disposed in a rectangular or reticulated pattern similar to that of a conventional stick rack (that is, six parallel rows of four). While twenty-four has been indicated as the required number of tubes, it will be readily apparent that a larger or smaller number may be used instead, if so desired, that is, if the stick rack has a different number of holes than twentyfour. Thus, the exit opening of the rotary funnel is placed directly over one of the circularly disposed tubes as it advances from one tube to an adjacent tube. Beneath the lower tube plate 28 is the carriage supporting a plate frame 29 supporting a plate so having forty-eight holes.

As will appear more clearly hereinafter, the machine is so constructed that when twenty-four sticks have been dispensed and fed. into the holes of plate 36 on the carriage, the feeding mechanism will automatically stop, providing the control is set for a single stick rack of 2,4. A double stick rack contains forty-eight holes for the sticks. Therefore, in the carriage plate assembly, plates such as plate 36, are provided with fortyeight holes to enable filling of such double stick rack when desired. In running a single stick rack, only twenty-four holes are filled, namely, alternate rows of 4, but when it is desired to fill a double stick rack, then by the throwing of a simple control valve as will appear more clearly there until the operator desires access thereto to place thereon and fill a standard stick rack (not shown).

This he accomplishes by opening an air button or valve 3| so as to supply air under pressure to the left side of air cylinder 32. Such air under pressure may be supplied by an outside source or by a small compressor tank attached to the machine. A pressure of fifty pounds is suitable. As viewed in Figure 1, air under pressure will be exerted against the left face of piston 33 in the cylinder and move piston rod 34, as well as the carriage 25 rigidly secured thereto, to the right, thereby pushing the loaded carriage forward from beneath the tube plate 28 to an open position readily accessible to the operator for the placing of the stick rack over the sticks. The carriage is arrested by adjustable screws or stops 81. A manifold 35 is connected to the air tank (not shown) or other source of air. 7

On the movable carriage and supported on carriage frame 29 is a shiftable plate 36 which acts as a stick lock for firmly holding the sticks when the carriage is'in a, full forward position, that is, to the extreme right as viewed in Figure 1. This shifting movement of plate iitis effected as the result of the striking of fingers 3? against striker plate 38 as the carriage is moved forwardly by the air cylinder 32. The fingers are rotated about their pivots so as to shift plate 36 forwardly in the same direction as the rows of four, thereby oifsetting the holes with respect to those in plate 30 above, so that the holes of these plates are no longer in registry thereby clamping thesticks and at the same time tensioning a return spring 31'.

When the control valve 39 isset so that twice the number of sticks will be loaded in the stick rack, the machine will first feed twenty-four sticks into the carriage, and the carriage will then shift laterally, that is, in a direction at right angles to the plane of Figure 1, that is, it will shift in the direction of the rows of twelve so as to bring alternate rows of four into registry with the tubes thereabove to allow the machine to fill the remaining twenty-four holes in the carriage plate assembly. This control, as mentioned above, is accomplished by means of a control or threeway air valve 39, operation of which will determine whether twenty-four sticks or forty-eight sticks will be fed into the carriage before the machine will automatically stop.

To feed forty-eight sticks the valve 39 is set in a predetermined manner so as to provide a fluid connection between the air supply manifold 35 and air cylinder 4! to cause lateral shift of the carriage after twenty-four sticks have been fed to expose twenty-four. additional holes in the carriage plate assembly. This is controlled by a microswitch Gil located adjacent ratchet wheel 4|. Switch 48 is closed by means of a contact dog 62 secured to the ratchet wheel ll after the ratchet wheel has been given twenty-four incremental movements by the reciprocating pawl 43 which, together with ratchet wheel 4|, acts as a timer.

After twenty-four sticks have been fed into the carriage plate assembly and after microsupply manifold .35 to air cylinder 5 switch 40 has been closed, an electrical .circuit will .be completed through solenoid .441 so ,as to open valve 45 and provide fluid communication between the air supply manifold .35 .and tube 146 to air cylinder d lute cause operation of toggle link Ma connected to lugs All) (see Figures 7 and .8), to shift the plate frame .29 in the direction of the rows of twelve so as to expose a1- ternate rows .of four holes and enable filling of an additional twenty-four sticks. After twenty-four additional sticks are fed and ratchet wheel H has made a complete revolution, contact dog 48 on the opposite side of ratchet wheel ll (see Figure .4), closes micrcswitch 49 causing completion of an energizing circuit through solenoid so to open valve Ella, therefore causing air under pressure to liow from As air under pressure enters the right side of cylinder 5i, as viewed in Figure 1, it will cause the piston 52 therein to move to the left and rock the clutch fork 5t clockwise and in so doing, disengage the square jaw clutch thus stopping rotation of drive shaft 5 and operation of the feeding apparatus. A latch will then become latched to a radially extending arm of the clutch fork 53 so as to lock the clutch in the disengaged position. The carriage asser-- bly is now beneath the tube assembly 25.

Now, at the convenience of the operator, he opens valve 3! so as to provide fiuid COlfilIlllllication to the left side of cylinder 32 and thus cause shifting of the carriage to the extreme right or forward position, as shown in Figure 5, where it will be readily visible and accessible to the operator for placement of a stick rack on the sticks. When the carriage is in this forward position, the sticks are locked solidly and in perfect alignment and in readiness to f ll the stick rack. The stick rack is then placed over the sticks in the carriage and locked. By this time the carriage will have started back to its original position and the tension of spring 3? will pull fingers 3i together, thereby shifting plate 36 and releasing the lock on the carriage and allowing the operator to remove the sticks in the locked stick rack. While the carriage is in its forward position, link will have dropped from its previous high position shown in Figure 1, due to the retraction of the plunger ill and clutch trip 58 to the right under the acticn of spring 59. Carriage 25 is thereafter moved rearwardly by means of weight ill connected to one end of cable 82, which cable is entrained about pulleys 63 and ta and its other end is connected to boss .65 integrally secured to carriage The cable and weight normally bias the carriage to the rearward or left position, that is, to its normal position immediately underneath the tube assembly As the carriage so moved rearwardly and in view of the dropping of link 56 intermediate plunger 5i and latch such link provides means for transmitting motion from the plunger to the latch so as to cause clockwise rotation and unlatching or" latch Eli releasing the clutch fork This will cause engagement of the clutch under the action of the compression spring having its upper end anchored to collar ti, thereby restarting the automatic feed mechanism so as to start a second cycle for feeding forty-eight sticks. Also, as the carriage is moved forwardly it is moved in the direction of the rows of twelve by means of an arm as hav-- in roller 69a rolling along curved arm or track I'll} .to restore the carriage ;to its original position from the positionpto which it had been shifted to feed forty-eight sticks.

The valve is may be set for feeding twentyfour sticks into a single standard stick rack :by providing communication between manifold 35 .and tube is and closing off tube it, Therefore, as contact dog 42 closes switch it to energize solenoid i l to cause opening of valve 45, air under pressure will be introduced in cylinder d! to disengage the clutch and stop feeding. The carriage is then moved forward so that the operator may have access thereto for filling the stick rack by opening valve 31, which causes forced air under pressureto be introduced in the left portion of cylinder 32. The stick rack is then filled with twenty-four sticks. the carriage is moved rearwardly by the weight and cable causing unlatching of the clutch, the feed mechanism is restarted. Then, after a complete revolution of timer ratchet wheel i-l, dog til closes switch as, energizing solenoid till and opening valve to introduce air in cylinder 5i to cause disengagement of the clutch stoppage of the feed mechanism. Thus, at the end of each one-half revolution of timing ratchet wheel 1!, the machine is automatically stopped to permit loading of the stick rack with the twenty-four sticks assembled on the carriage.

.Le carriage and associated parts are so designed that the sticks are positively moved a predetermined and so that the sticks will not become wedged, lodged or misplaced during the course of their feed. It is essential that when the sticks drop into the carriage they will all be oriented or extend in the same direction so that they may be subsequently inserted in a stick rack having apertures also oriented in a corresponding manner. That is, the flat sides of the sticks are in alignment along the rows of twelve. This orientation is ccomplished by a series of d-shaped troughs such as H, l3 and M, beneath the stick carriage into which the sticks fall after passing through the holes in the carriage plate. In other "words, as the sticks drop they are turned by the slopes of the troughs so as to extend in the same direction along the rows of twelve.

To further facilitate orientation of the sticks or the keeping of their edges in one direction in the rows of twelve, flat strips of metal l5, 75, ill and i3, shown most clearly in Figure 6, are connected together by means of a connecting bar '39 which, in turn, is connected by link iii; to actuating rod 8! rotatably supported by brackets 82. Rod SI is partially rotated or given an oscillating movement by means of a rod 83 supported in bearings as, which rod in turn is oscillated by means of a link 85 connected to an eccentric iii; which eccentric is driven by the drive shaft l. A torsion or return spring tic, normally biases rod 8| so as to withdraw the strips from the troughs. The thin strips located at the bottom of the V-shaped troughs are given a back and forth movement, that is, two movements each time a stick is dropped through the holes into the troughs. Should the sticks fall into the troughs in any other position than normal, these oscillating strips will cause them to attain the same orientation or alignment in the direction of the rows of twelve.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an efficient, simple labor-saving and economical machine for automatically filling either single or double standard stick racks so as to allow an operator of the brine tank, for example, to fill stick racks very quickly, requiring less than thirty seconds to fill a carriage of twenty-four. Such automatic machine will free the operator to attend 'to other duties such as placing the stick rack in the mold tank. Also, I have provided an efiicient fluid pressure end control system for allowing selective filling of either single or double stick racks by the mere turning of a single control valve.

It will be apparent that many modifications will be suggested to thos skilled in the art after having had the benefit of the teachings of the present specification. However, the present invention, while for purposes of illustration is shown embodied in a single and specific machine, it should not be regarded as being so limited, but should be considered as covering devices coming within the purview of the following claims.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for assembling sticks useful for making frozen confection and ice cream on sticks, comprising a hopper, a rotating funnel, ejector means for singly feeding sticks from the hopper into said funnel, a tube assembly of substantially vertically extending tubes whose upper ends are arranged in a circular path for successive feeding therein of said sticks by said funnel, the lower ends being disposed in parallel rows in a pattern corresponding to that of a conventional stick rack, means for intermittently rotating said funnel by partial revolution increments corresponding to the number of said tubes, and means located below said lower ends for receiving and holding sticks fed through said tubes to facilitate filling of a stick rack.

2. Apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises a shiftable carriage including a perforated plate having holes in registry with said lower tube ends for receiving sticks falling through said tubes.

3. Apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises a shiftable carriage having supported thereon a perforated plate having a set of holes in registry with the lower tube ends when the carriage and perforated plate is in a predetermined position, and having a second set of holes which come into registry with said lower tube ends when the carriage and supported perforated plate are laterally shifted to a different position.

4. A machine for automatically arranging sticks in spaced parallel relationship in a pattern of six parallel rows of four to facilitat filling of a stick rack, comprising a rotary funnel, means for intermittently rotating said funnel by increments of one twenty-fourth revolution, means for successively feeding said sticks into said rotary funnel each one twenty-fourth revolution, an assembly of twenty-four substantially vertically disposed tubes whose upper ends are disposed along a circular path so that the funnel will drop a stick into successive holes each time it rotates one twenty-fourth of a revolution and Whose lower ends are disposed to form six parallel rows of four, and means disposed beneath said lower ends for receiving sticks which are fed through said tubes to facilitate subsequent filling of a stick rack having a corresponding pattern of six parallel rows of four.

5. Apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said last mentioned means comprises a perforated plate having forty-eight holes so disposed that 8 for one position of the plate twenty-four holes of alternate rows of four are in registry with the lower openings of said tubes and for another lateral position of the plate the remaining twenty-four holes are in registry with the lower openings of said tubes.

6. In apparatus for making frozen confections and ice cream on sticks, a machine for automatically assembling said sticks in parallel rows to facilitate subsequent filling of a stick rack having corresponding holes, comprising an assembly of tubes extending substantially vertically with their upper ends disposed along a circular path and their lower end disposed in parallel rows corresponding to those of the stick rack to be filled, means for successively feeding the sticks into the upper end of said tubes including a rotary funnel and ejector means for singly feeding sticks into said funnel and means for intermittently rotating said funnel through partial revolution increments corresponding to the number of said tubes, carriage means dis posed under the lower ends of said tubes and containing a plate having parallel rows of holes corresponding to the disposition of the bottom ends of said tubes, and means for automatically stopping said feeding means when sticks have been through all of said tubes.

7. An automatic machine for assembling sticks for fillin a stick rack useful in the making of frozen confections and ice cream on sticks, comprising a rotary funnel, an assembly of substantially vertically disposed tubes underneath said funnel, the upper ends of which tubes being disposed in a circular path and the lower ends being disposed in parallel rows, means for intermittently rotating said funnel in partial revolutions corresponding to the number of said tubes, means for intermittently feeding a stick into said funnel each time said funnel is rotated such partial revolution, carriage means disposed underneath the lower ends of said tubes and having a perforated plate for receiving sticks ends of said tubes, and means for automatically cally stopping said feeding means when a predetermined number of sticks have been fed into said carriage means.

8. Apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein the last mentioned means includes a timer, :3. switch controlled by said timer and a fluid pressure actuated device responsive to operation of said switch after a predetermined number of sticks have been fed as determined by said timer.

9. A machine for automatically assembling sticks in a manner so as to facilitate subsequent filling of a stick rack for use in making confections and ice cream on sticks comprising, means including vertically disposed tubes for successively feeding said sticks along rectangular sets of parallel rows corresponding to the pattern of a conventional stick rack, carriage means underneath said tubes and including a perforated plate having two sets ofrectangular patterns of holes corresponding to the rectangular set of rows of the tubes and of the stick rack for receiving sticks fed through said tubes, and fluid pressure means responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said feeding means for shifting said carriage laterally so as to expose the second rectangular set of holes in said plate so as to come into registry with the lower ends of said tubes, and means responsive to an additional predetermined number of feeds of said feeding means for automatically stopping said feeding means after said second set of holes has been filled withsticks.

10. A machine for automatically assemblin sticks in a manner so as to facilitate subsequent filling of a stick rack for use in making confections and ice cream on sticks comprising, means including vertically disposed tubes for successively feeding said sticks along parallel rows corresponding to the pattern of a convenventional stick rack, carriage means pnderneath said tubes and including a perforated plate having a set of parallel rows of holes corresponding to those of the tubes and of the stick rack fOr receiving sticks fed through said tubes, and fluid pressure means responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said feeding means for shifting said carriage laterally so as to expose a second set of holes in said plate so as to come into registry with the lower ends of said tubes, means responsive to an additional predetermined number of feeds of said feeding means for automatically stopping said feeding means after said second set of holes has been filled with sticks, and a second fluid. pressure actuating means for shifting said carriage away from its position underneath said tubes so as to facilitate access thereto by the operator to enable the filling of a standard stick rack by placing it on said sticks supported by said plate.

11. In a machine for automatically assembling sticks in parallel rows to facilitate filling of a stick rack to be used for making ice cream on sticks and the like, comprising a rotary funnel stick feeding means including, means for intermittently rotating said funnel in partial revolutions, a stationary assembly of tubes extending substantially vertically, the upper ends of which are disposed in a circle so that sticks will be successively fed therein from said funnel as the result of intermittent rotation of the funnel and the lower ends of which are disposed in parallel rows, a laterally slidable carriage disposed underneath said lower ends, a perforated plate supported on said carriage having holes adapted to register with the openings of said lower tube ends, means responsive to a predetermined number of intermittent feeding movements of said feeding means to automatically efiect stoppage of said feeding means after the registering holes of said plate have been filled with sticks.

12. In a machine for automatically assembling sticks in parallel rows to facilitate filling of a stick rack to be used for making ice cream on sticks and the like, comprising a rotary funnel, intermittent stick feeding means including pawl and ratchet means for intermittently rotating said funnel in partial revolutions corresponding to the number of sticks to be fed for filling a standard stick rack, a stationary assembly of tubes extending substantially vertically, the upper ends of which are disposed in a circle so as to be successively fed by sticks as the result of intermittent rotation of said funnel and the lower ends of which are disposed in parallel rows, a laterally slidable carriage disposed underneath said lower ends, a perforated plate supported on said carriage having holes adapted to register with the openings of said lower tube ends, said perforated plate having a second set of holes adapted to come into registry with the openings of the lower tube ends upon lateral shifting of said carriage, and fluid pressure means responsive to a predetermined number of intermittent feeding movements of said stick feeding means to effect filling of said first set of holes for caus- 10 ing said carriage to be shifted laterally so as to move said second set of holes into registry with the lower tube ends to allow feeding of sticks therein, and means responsive to an additional number of intermittent feeding movements of said feeding means for automatically stopping saidfeeding means after said second set of holes has been filled with sticks.

13. Apparatus recited in claim 12 together with manually controlled means for sliding said carriage from a position underneath said tubes to a position where it will be readily accessible to the operator to allow filling of a standard stick rack by placing it on said stick containing plate.

14;.111 apparatus for assembling sticks in a manner to facilitate subsequent filling of a stick rack useful in the making of ice cream on sticks and the like, comprising a substantially vertically extending group of tubes, the upper ends of said tubes being disposed along a circular path and the lower ends being disposed in parallel rows, a rotary funnel disposed above said tubes, a drive shaft, a motor for driving said drive shaft, a cam secured to said drive shaft, a cam following rod reciprocated by said cam, a pawl and ratchet actuated by said rod and associated with said funnel so as to intermittently rotate said funnel through partial revolutions, ejector means driven by said drive shaft for successively ejecting sticks into said funnel, one stick each time the funnel rotates said partial revolution, a pawl and ratchet timing device also operated by said rod, a pair of microswitches disposed diametrically of said timing device ratchet, one of said switches being operable upon rotation of said funnel through and the other of said switches being operable upon rotation of said funnel through an additional 180, a laterally slidable carriage disposed underneath the lower ends of said tubes and having a perforated plate with two sets of holes, fluid pressure operating means responsive to operation of said first mentioned switch for shifting said carriage laterally to move it from a position whereby one set of holes is in registry with the lower ends of said tubes to a position whereby the second set of holes is in registry, and a clutch between said motor and drive shaft which is disengaged in response to operation of said last mentioned switch after said second set of holes has been filled to effect stoppage of said drive shaft.

15. Apparatus for automatically assembling sticks for filling a stick rack useful in the making of ice cream on sticks and the like, comprising a shiftable carriage supporting a plate having two sets of holes, an assembly of substantially vertically extending tubes located above said carriage, the lower ends of which tubes are adapted to come into registry with either set of holes in said perforated plate, depending upon the position of the carriage, means for feeding sticks into said tubes, fiuid pressure means including selector means for selectively controlling the movements of said carriage so that said feeding means is automatically stopped either after filling of said first set of holes or after filling of both sets of holes dependin upon the setting of said selector means.

16. In apparatus for assembling sticks for subsequent filling of a stick rack useful in making ice cream bars on a stick and the like, compris 111;; means for feeding the sticks along a path of parallel rows, carriage means including a perforated plate with two sets of holes for receiving said sticks, and means responsive to a predetermined number of operations of-said feeding means including means for selectively controlling the movement of said carriage so as to effect stoppage of said feeding means either after one set of holes has been filled or after both sets have been filled.

1'7. Apparatus recited in claim 16 wherein said last mentioned means including a fluid control valve, a fluid pressure system controlled thereby, electromagnetically operated valves and timer actuated switch means for selectively operating said electromagnetically operated valves for selectively efiecting stopping of said machine or shifting of said carriage followed by stopping of said machine depending upon the setting of said fluid control valve. 7

18. A machine for automatically assembling sticks in parallel rows to facilitate filling of a stick rack for use in making frozen confections on sticks, including a plurality of substantially 20 2,251,333

12 vertically extending-tubes through which said sticks are fed, slidable carriage means including a pair of plates having perforations matching the lower openings of said tubes, means 'for shifting said carriage away from said tubes, and means responsive to shifting of said carriage to its limit of movement for shifting one of said plates relative to the other to place the holes of the plates slightly out of registry and lock the The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I 7 Date Number Name 797,145 Nickerson Aug. 15, 1905 Griffen et al. Aug. 5, 1941 

